As first-time homebuyers, my wife and I searched for a real estate agent who met our criteria - honesty, determined and an advocate for our needs. Maria Martin met - and exceeded - these aspects. I don't have to tell you the exceedingly difficulty for first-time homebuyers in Southern California. It's important a realtor doesn't sugarcoat this - you need someone who can realistically present your options. Maria did this several times over, both at the beginning of our search process and as we narrowed the list of prospective homes. Maria allowed us to navigate the process and search homes with confidence because she never sold us on ideas we couldn't afford. We really enjoyed her hyper-targeted searches and, at times, the necessary kick in the butt we'd need to understand the ever-changing market and where we needed to go to buy our home. Her review of homes is also impressive - Maria could spot potential problems long before we could. Every real estate agent is determined to sell you a house - that's their goal. Where we saw a difference with Maria was the determination to sell us the right home. She understood our preferences and needs and blended those with the right neighborhoods and areas for us, all within our preferred budget. Others we worked with took our preferences and sent us on wild goose chases around the county. After a few initial showings, Maria knew exactly what we wanted and focused our search. It helped tremendously to have this narrow focus, so we could truly evaluate based on what we knew we would love. Finally, Maria served as an advocate for our needs. She handled our requests with urgency and, in negotiations with the seller, fought hard for us as first-time buyers. She wouldn't let us get strong-armed - Maria went in and secured the best deal for us. We loved working with Maria, and we're happy to consider her a friend after the process. We'd certainly recommend her to anyone looking for a home!

Coming from out of state, Maria helped us with her expertise on local neighborhoods and help guide us to the right places that fit our family. She also connected us with many different people to help us on this home buying journey

Maria is truly cares about her clients, is patient, available at odd hours, and very skilled at negotiation. Maria is also very experienced doing what she does and is able to spot many issues with a home at a glance. For example, several houses we looked at had foundational or serious termite issues that were not disclosed, and she was able to spot it at a glance. 10/10 would recommend.